SPRINGFIELD— Legislation that would guarantee parents time off work to mourn the loss of a child was passed by the Illinois House yesterday.

State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) is the lead sponsor of the bill in the Senate.

“I am pleased that we are one step closer to guaranteeing time off work for a parent who loses a child,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “As a society, we need to be doing everything we can to support parents who are going through an unimaginable tragedy.”

Currently, a parent whose child has a serious medical condition can receive time off from work under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, that same parent would not be allowed under FMLA to take time off for the death of a child.

In fact, the average bereavement leave for a person who loses a child is three days according to a researcher at Arizona State University.

Bertino-Tarrant’s proposal, Senate Bill 2613, expands FMLA coverage by ensuring that employees who lose a child will be provided with two weeks of unpaid bereavement leave. This time can be used to make arrangements, attend the funeral and grieve their child’s death.

Under FMLA, employees are entitled to up to three months a year of unpaid leave for the birth of the child, adoption or to care for themselves or a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition.

If signed into law, Illinois would join Oregon as the only states to mandate that employers are required to provide leave to employees who request it after the death of a child.

FMLA applies to all state, local and federal employers as well as schools and private sector employers who employ 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in a year.

To qualify for FMLA leave, an employee must have worked for their employer for one year and worked at least 1,250 hours.

Senate Bill 2613 passed out of the House 108-1. It now goes to the governor for approval.

SPRINGFIELD— Legislation allowing roads to be named after fallen soldiers from Illinois was passed out of the Illinois Senate today by State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood).

“Service members who give the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms are true heroes, and we should always find ways to recognize their contributions,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “Having a road named in their honor is one way to ensure a fallen soldier will be remembered.”

Bertino-Tarrant’s proposal, House Bill 4344, would create the Heroes Way Designation Program. The program will allow family members of fallen Illinois soldiers to apply and pay for an honorary road designation as a tribute to their deceased loved one.

The applicant has to be a family member who is related to the solider by blood, marriage or adoption.

SPRINGFIELD— A proposal to extend the timeframe when someone could be prosecuted for financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person was passed out of the Illinois Senate today by State Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood).

Under current law, prosecution for financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person must occur within three years of the offense being committed. Bertino-Tarrant’s plan would increase the statute of limitations for this type of offense to seven years.

“Financial exploitation against someone who is disabled or a senior should not be tolerated,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “My initiative gives victims the time needed to recognize and report the crime so that the prosecutor can bring charges and hold perpetrators accountable.”

In general, most states allow individuals to be prosecuted for financial exploitation of a senior or disabled person longer than three years after the offense occurred.

Bertino-Tarrant co-sponsored a similar measure that passed out of the Senate. However, when it became uncertain that the House would vote on it, Bertino-Tarrant moved forward with her own proposal.